Blog Series are exactly what they sound like. A series of correlating posts/entries made on any of the four blogs featured here on The Cryton Chronicles. The content of each series will depend on which blog it's hosted from. There are only a handful of Blog Series currently on the site, which will be listed down below in alphabetical order. Check out the descriptions and see if any of them interest you!

AFTER ARMAGEDDON(Dreams in the shade of ink)

After Armageddon is a fantasy, post-apocalyptic series I began shortly after NaNoWriMo 2012 temporarily cured me of my pervasive writer's block and I decided to explore the world of blogging. It tells the story of Jack Winterton — a struggling, unemployed author and father — who lives in the constant shadow of his younger brother who has gone on to do, what some may consider, great things. After a series of domestic terrorist attacks, Jack is forced to confront his fears and fight for survival, in his attempts to reunite with his family. However, there seems to be more than meets the eye with the attacks, and he discovers that he may play a larger role in the grander scheme of things, whether liking it or not.

While I have more written material and a larger outline for After Armageddon, this blog series serves mostly as an overall prequel to the novel(s); events/storylines that may appear as mere flashbacks in the novel, being more fully fleshed out. Unfortunately, as time went on, my entries became less frequent, before stopping completely. BUT it is a blog series I wish to continue for both myself and the readers/audience who have enjoyed it.

bloodlines(Dreams in the shade of ink)

Bloodlines is the preliminary title given to the collection of posts I wrote during the A to Z Challenge 2016 on the Dreams in the Shade of Ink blog. What began as mere standalone, completely unrelated pieces, eventually evolved into a webbed, interconnected story. The main premise of Bloodlines is ordinary, everyday people waking up an immense power within themselves, which has been dormant and/or repressed, triggered by traumatic experiences. Those affected by this awakening struggle to cope with the raw emotions that seem to fuel the phenomenon, as it amplifies and/or distorts their personalities — granting them superhuman-like abilities — risking becoming consumed if unable to find balance and control.

The notion of linking the entries together came roughly at the midpoint of the blogging challenge, so it may appear to be completely disjointed. And I would be lying if claiming it wasn't difficult to connect them at that point, especially with a daily deadline. However, I think in the end I succeeded in doing just that, even if sacrificing much of the content I wanted to include, but not having the time and/or space for it.

CON[CERN]ING The Mandela Effect(I, Jak)

The Mandela Effect is the all-encompassing name attributed to the mass misremembrances of how something was — whether an event, person, location, quote/title/name change, etc — compared to what physical evidence and history proves is and always has been. And while it was a phenomenon that snuck up on me, I believe I was being affected long before taking any significant notice. After being introduced to The Mandela Effect by a friend, I didn't fully grasp the extent of what I was being shown. It wasn't until doing some research that I found that this has been a topic of interest for years now, and not only is it not dying down, but it's gaining traction.

Becoming fascinated with the subject matter, watching countless videos, reading articles on both sides of the spectrum, I decided to write about the phenomenon. It's been a lot of fun exploring the various theories behind The Mandela Effect and discovering more examples and more people being affected by this intriguing mystery. Check it out, take some quizzes and learn more about The Mandela Effect!

[mostly] wordless Wednesday(I, JAk)

[Mostly] Wordless Wednesday isn't exactly an exclusive series, but yet it wasn't ever a blog hop either (to the best of my knowledge). I'm not exactly sure where it originated from, but I know a fellow blogger or two would make entries with the title and I eventually followed suit. I believe Wordless Wednesday was/is still a thing, and basically challenges a participant to create blog posts focused on sharing images, videos, memes, etc with the absence of actual dialogue.

In this iteration, bloggers would talk about the subject matter presented, but it would be minimal. I felt that given my penchant for long-winded entries, [Mostly] Wordless Wednesday would be a healthy exercise in brevity. I do my best, but I never make any guarantees!

the soundtrack of imagination(i, jak)

The Soundtrack of Imagination was a blog series I never fully got off the ground, though I plan to reintroduce it on I, Jak. Its intent is to allow me to share and talk about (sometimes in great length) the various pieces of music that influence and/or inspire my different writing/creative projects. Music plays such a pivotal role not only in my writing, but also my day to day — there's always my personal soundtrack playing in my mind — that I really wanted to express it to others. Keep an eye out for this blog series to make a comeback!

Trailer Tuesday(Generation jak)

Trailer Tuesday has been the longest running blog series on The Cryton Chronicles (albeit on-again, off-again). Once featured on I, Jak, it has since been shifted over to Generation Jak, after the move to Squarespace. I love movie and game trailers. And I love sharing them with people. Trailer Tuesday is where I highlight this multitude of trailers (movies, TV shows, video games, books, etc) and then briefly discuss my thoughts on them.

I primarily focus on movie trailers for features not yet released, but I sometimes make exceptions. And while I try to post them all, many slip through the cracks. So many trailers, so little time. If you're someone who loves entertainment trailers, this is one blog series you may want to check out!

Keep checking back for more information about Blog Series that become added over time!

It’s been a long while, so I thought I would give a brief look into the reason(s) behind my absence. You’ll have to forgive my potentially awkward, stilted jibber-jabber. It may take some time for me to get warmed up…

Dreams in the Shade of Ink is back with more Flash Fiction for the A to Z Challenge 2017! Last year my segments throughout April painted a puzzled tapestry of prose and I hope to provide some new, entertaining stories that you'll enjoy!

recent META

The A to Z Challenge 2017 is over and it's time to reflect on how the event went! There were booster pack openings, there were storylines and mechanics to observe within the world of Magic: The Gathering!

Join me as I discuss the ups and downs of this year's Magic Mixer theme.

This year for the A to Z Challenge 2017 Meta MTG presents the Magic Mixer! What's that mean? Your guess is as good as mine... What I do know, however, is that this year's theme is obviously still all about Magic: The Gathering!

Join me as I attempt to highlight a different Magic set each day of the challenge in different ways, from pack openings to discussions about a set's storyline and/or mechanics!